This invention relates in general to solenoid valves and deals more specifically with improvements in miniaturized solenoid-actuated fluid control valves particularly adapted for low power operation and a method for calibrating such valves.
In a valve of the type with which the present invention is concerned an axially elongate solenoid plunger supported for axial reciprocal rectilinear movement in response to energization of a surrounding solenoid coil controls fluid flow through one or more fluid passageways coaxially aligned with the plunger. In the production of such valves the accumulation of manufacturing tolerances resulting from assembly of the valve parts in axially stacked relation to each other has resulted in problems in maintaining uniform valve operating characteristics. This is particularly true with respect to the production of miniature valves.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved solenoid-actuated fluid control valve which may be manufactured in quantity with substantially uniform operational characteristics and in which magnetic reluctance is minimized to enable efficient low power operation. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved method for calibrating a valve of the aforedescribed general type.